Editorial

Citation

Quinn, N. and Knifton, L. (2020), "Editorial", Journal of Public Mental Health, Vol. 19 No. 4, pp. 269-270. https://doi.org/10.1108/JPMH-12-2020-109

Primary, secondary and tertiary prevention

As the new Journal Editors, we are delighted to introduce this issue of the Journal of Public Mental Health. We both have over 20 years of experience in public health research, policy and practice and are excited at this opportunity to lead the journal into its next phase. We are very grateful to the previous Editor, Woody Caan, for his fantastic work over the past few years in building the reach and reputation of the journal so well during his tenure as Editor. He has an unstinting commitment to social justice that he brings to all of his work.

The journal’s mission is to encourage and share research that reflects the art, science and politics of creating a mentally healthy society. It is a vision we are strongly committed to and we see the journal being at the forefront of discourse on public mental health. Public mental health and prevention of distress have never been so important as we are living in turbulent times. Current global challenges include the mental health impact of the COVID-19 pandemic now and in the future; systemic discrimination surfaced through the Me Too and Black Lives Matter movements; increasing economic inequality and unemployment; and the rise of populism. All of these issues have a public mental health dimension and it is important as a journal we can reflect on and engage with these important issues.

This edition looks at primary, secondary and tertiary prevention. Four articles examine approaches to improving the mental well-being of people with severe mental health problems. Chris Dayson and colleagues highlight the role of social prescribing for patients of secondary mental health services in terms of emotional, psychological and social well-being outcomes. Alberto Mateo-Urdiales and colleagues present a fascinating paper on the evaluation of a participatory approach to improve healthy eating and physical activity in a secure mental health setting. Given the increasing emphasis on the well-being of older people, we are really pleased to have a paper by Rhonda Riacchi on Improving well-being in dementia care for clients and carers. Finally, within this theme we have an interesting cross-cultural paper on recovery measures by Éllen Cristina Ricci and colleagues.

We have six articles on important aspects of prevention which look at big picture issues out-with the mental health sphere. Three papers focus upon key settings of work, university and schools. Given the importance of good work for mental health and well-being, we are pleased to include the paper on the association of shift work with depression and anxiety in middle-aged adults by Zeinab Alizadeh and colleagues. Another important setting for promoting being well-being is Universities and the paper by Paul Gorczynski and colleagues on “Evaluating mental health literacy and help-seeking behaviours in UK university students: a country wide study” offers valuable insights. We continue the education focus by looking at mental health and well-being within schools, “The Impact of Teacher Well-Being and Mental Health on Pupil Progress in Primary Schools” by Jonathan Glazzard and colleagues.

Three further papers examine inequalities. There is an increasing emphasis on mental health within the Justice system and we are delighted to have an innovative paper on “Health-justice partnerships: innovation in service delivery to support mental health” by Sarah Beardon and colleagues. This really focuses upon a population group (people involved in the justice system) that experience significant mental health inequalities. One paper examines the mental health dimensions of physical illness in “Exploring barriers to sexual transmitted infections and HIV testing among young black sub-Sahara African communities in diaspora, UK” by Shinga Nicole Nyashanu and colleagues. Finally, with the increasing profile on suicide, we are really pleased to include the paper “Suicide Prevention in Community Mental Health: Changing Systems” by Allison Ponce and colleagues.

We hope you enjoy this wide-ranging edition of the journal and are very excited about building the profile and impact of the journal in the years to come.